The Voice may be going strong early in Season 22, but longtime coach Blake Shelton already has some massive news that will shake up the series down the line. Shelton has decided to leave The Voice, which will certainly be a blow to fans who have gotten used to his combination of country, coaching, and comedy, but there's still a silver lining for those fans.
Even though Shelton is leaving the music competition series, it won't be until after Season 23, which premieres in the spring. Viewers still have all of the rest of the currently-airing Season 22 and the full Season 23 (which is also bringing back former coach Kelly Clarkson and introducing Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan as coaches). The goodbye to Shelton is coming, but not just yet.
The country singer opened up about his decision to leave, which has evidently been a long time coming. He said:
I’ve been wrestling with this for a while and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from ‘The Voice’ after season 23. This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at ‘The Voice’ from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week. I’ve made lifelong bonds with Carson and every single one my fellow coaches over the years, including my wife, Gwen Stefani!
He certainly has made some lifelong bonds, considering his marriage to Gwen Stefani that was officiated by host Carson Daly! Blake Shelton went on to give a "huge shoutout to the singers" and a special thanks to those who chose him as their coach. He ended by crediting the fans for watching and supporting everybody at The Voice in chasing their dreams.
The currently-airing Season 22 is the first that features both Shelton and Stefani as coaches since their wedding, and evidently will be the last unless both decide to return at some point after Season 23. Although Stefani hasn't commented at the time of writing, the return of Kelly Clarkson and debuts of Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan in Shelton's final season means that Stefani's return was a one-off. At least fans got one season with the married couple battling it out as coaches! Wedded bliss didn't stop Shelton from trolling his wife.
The announcements also reveal that Camila Cabello won't be back as a judge after Season 22, even though Kelly Clarkson and Gwen Stefani both explained why the singer is a perfect fit for The Voice. Big changes are on the way, and a major question already is who the show could possibly find to fill Blake Shelton's shoes. He's the only coach who has been in one of the big red chairs from the very beginning, although Adam Levine was on board from Season 1 to Season 16. (In light of recent events and the Adam Levine scandal, it may not be likely that NBC will try to recruit him back for Season 24.)
For now, you can just keep enjoying the current coach lineup of John Legend, Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani, and of course Blake Shelton. New episodes of The Voice air on Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC in the 2022 TV premiere schedule, and you can catch up on any episodes you might have missed streaming with a Peacock subscription.
